Truth be told, in honor of The Sims 4 coming out I was planning on writing a large post comparing the game play and advancements of the two previous entries to the franchise, The Sims 3 and The Sims 2, as well as give a brief summary of my thoughts on some of their other major spin-offs and console projects (primarily The Urbz and The Sims Medieval). Unfortunately WordPress does not like my current internet service, and the constant thunderstorms in my neck of the woods really haven’t helped matters. So instead, allow me to offer this post instead.

I have already written about my love of the series in other posts, particularly the wonder that was the original series, but this is the first time I have chosen NOT to pre-order the newest generation base game. Why? Because in the U.S., a base game, non-special edition PC port of The Sims 4 runs at $59.99, about the same as a new console game. Not the worst price ever, for a FULL game. Unfortunately, The Sims 4 appears to have less features than The Sims 1 base game, that came out FOURTEEN years ago (it also included pools, by the way). The gameplay also looks severely lacking.

Sure, by outer appearance there are some nice additions and improvements. The new emotions feature looks nice (though it doesn’t really excite me), I love the new look of the Sims (the cartoony aspect harkens back to the fun whimsy that Will Wright had originally intended for the series). There appears to be improvement on the build mode and customization aspects of the game, which are features I use quite a bit (I would spend HOURS creating gorgeous mansions for my characters). And I think the starter neighborhood is lovely.

Of course, having a fun character placed in a pretty (tiny!) world having NOTHING TO DO kind of spoils it. They are basically stuck on Tranquility Lane. I could really care less about loading screens (we had them in the first two gens) but the open world aspect that I loved is all gone. There’s nothing for them to do and no where for them to go. So what’s the point of giving them advanced AI if they are practically stuck at home? Sure, that’s what happened in The Sims 1 base game, but The Sims 1 was the first of its kind. It was fun and fascinating. But at this stage there should be more, much more. At least for SIXTY BUCKS!

“Everything below has been 100% confirmed, excluding the final category.

This is a list of features that were COMPLETELY CUT or REDUCED from previous iterations of The Sims. It DOES NOT include missing expansion pack content that should be base by now (i.e. Weather) or new features promised for Sims 4 that were later cut (i.e. Woohoo Skill).

Lastly, it is important to understand that much of this content will NEVER be in The Sims 4. Things like Create a Style are not compatible with the game engine, and thus cannot be added in future updates or expansions.

” ‘The fact is, we owe you a clearer explanation for why pools and toddlers will not be in The Sims 4 at launch,” executive producer Rachel Franklin wrote in a new blog post.

“It begins with new technology and systems that we built for this new base game for The Sims – a new AI system, new animation system, new audio positioning tools, new locomotion logic, new routing intelligence and much more are all entirely new in this game.

“So the bottom line is that when we sat down and looked at everything we wanted to do for this game, all the new tech we wanted to build into it, the fact was that there would be trade-offs, and these would disappoint some of our fans. Hard pill to swallow, believe me, but delivering on the vision set out for The Sims 4 required focus.’ “

*cough, cough* expensive DLC packs *cough cough*

Look, I can’t understand why all of a sudden not having toddlers or pools is due to tech reasons. It’s been done before. But I could even forgive that if there was a ton of new features or stuff for your Sims to do. But there isn’t! Your Sims can barely work or manipulate the environment around them. Sure, your Sims can interact with each other “better” I guess. But that doesn’t make up for the large lack of features. Their world is hollow. It might as well be a console game. Although I bet a console game would feature a FREAKING POOL!

And get this, EA won’t allow reviews of their game before release.

BIG. RED. FLAG.

Look, I own all the gens for The Sims series, and most of the expansions. When The Sims 3 came out, the base game gameplay was fairly bland. BUT the had a great deal of stuff that I thought made up for it. Full customization of your Sims, your furniture, clothes, home, most of the world, etc. And a truly open world (no loading screens). Sunset Valley was beautiful and felt alive. There was plenty of spaces for building opportunities. True, the game was buggy and often crashed. But it was fun. Of course later EA shafted us with the DLC’s and expansion packs (but that’s another post for another time). However, it felt like a more even effort. This version? Feels incomplete throughout. And there is no excuse. They should have listened to the fans and learned from their mistakes with the last gen.

Bottom line, it’s just doesn’t seem worth the price and to say I’m disappointed with EA is putting it very mildly. I miss Will Wright.

IF the reviews are good, I’ll wait for the duel starter pack. I will give EA some credit though for providing The Sims 2 Ultimate Edition pack for free download to tide me over.

Games, Gaming, the games. Some would argue they are a waste of the time and the mind, fit only for entertainment of the awkward or anti-social. I disagree. I’m not wasting my life, I am getting a ton of enjoyment when I play, and hey, a lot of the time the stories are better than Hollywood.

I write, I read, I watch, I game. They are activities that can be enjoyed with friends or without. They can be cost efficient too (every book, film, and game I own has been enjoyed a multitude of times – major bang for my buck).

While Rockstar is known mostly for the mega cultural impact of their staple series, Grand Theft Auto, there was another game series that they created that, for a time, was considered far more controversial, and deemed so shocking, sick and twisted it had to be banned in quite a few countries. This series is Manhunt; a stealthy, psychological horror game featuring serial murdering protagonists, brutal gangs, corrupt officials, hardcore kills and insane graphic violence within the backdrop of derelict cityscapes. These “violent games of perversion” gained a sizable cult following that persists to this day. So why has a film never been made?

For those that have never played the games, here are a couple of quick summaries:

Manhunt 1: Anti-hero James Earl Cash is sentence to death for an unmentioned crime. On the eve of his televised execution, it is revealed that he has been selected to be the the star in a series of gruesome underground snuff films. His execution is faked, and he must now make his way through the seedy underbelly of Carcer City, a rundown metropolis of apocalyptic proportions, filled to the brim with sadistic gangs of madmen and murders, all with the goal of killing Cash in the most grisly manner possible. The player must use stealth to navigate through this world, and is directed by the sinister Mr. Starkweather to perform all manner of brutal, hardcore executions on his foes in order to receive his aid and hope to survive.

Manhunt 2: Players take control of former scientist and the now incarcerated Daniel Lamb as he escapes his confinement at an insane asylum. Suffering from a mild form of amnesia, he is aided by the perverse, ruthless, and enigmatic Leo Kasper (a fellow inmate) to uncover his past and evade capture. As with the first game, Daniel encounters all sorts of evil gangs and must perform hideous executions.

With all the crap game to film series out there (Doom, House of the Dead), this particular series title seems almost custom made to fit the current movie format, particularly riding on the success of The Hunger Games, The Purge, Death Race, and Vacancy.One could go even further to find that this is a well-tested theme, looking back on the previous success of Battle Royaleand even The Running Man; Manhunt is a title that seems destined to be a hit. It could be tailored as a suspenseful, psychological thriller, or an in your-face-splatterfest; the point is that the script is a ready made (personally, I’d like to see a hybrid). So why isn’t Rockstar/Hollywood jumping on this? Even the more obscure Forbidden Siren series received a decent film treatment.

Whatever the case may be, it seems like such a waste of a good title. It was a series that had such promise, and still manages to excite (if no longer deemed shocking) new players. At the very least this series deserves one more gaming title to give it a fitting send off.

Many may remember a post I made on a promising Silent Hill fan film project by Zenith Films, (for those that have yet to check it out, original post found here), well I was delighted to find out that production appears to be going well. I am also happy to announce that Zenith really seems to know how to get a lot of bang for their buck, as the previews look fantastic! If you are like me, and you like what you see, please, please, please show your support for such an ambitious endeavor. Please check out the Zenith Film site, here, and bookmark his twitter if you have one! Also you can donate or just send a supportive shout out!

Congrats to Zenith Films founder Gareth Morgan, and the lovely Olwen Davies (as a striking Heather Mason)! Keep up the good work guys, I’m sure it will pay off!

“Harvest of Souls” sounds like a bad Children of the Corn sequel. But it is actually a decent follow-up to Sierra’s Shivers. Was it as good as Shivers? In many ways, yes. but there were a few hiccups that caused some reviewers to look upon it less favorably.

In my last post, I briefly went over how Shivers was a good start to my introduction to the world of horror gaming. It had a chilling atmosphere, engaging puzzles, and quite a few heart stopping jumps. While I would go on to the more action oriented, typically shooter styled games like Silent Hill or The Last of Us, I never forgot how important an atmospheric build was when it came to getting the scares I crave. While it wasn’t a masterpiece (though certainly among the best puzzle games of its kind), it was a solid addition to my growing gaming collection and made me hunger for more.

So I was delighted it had a sequel.

Well, “sequel” isn’t really the correct term. Harvest of Souls exists in the same world, presumably sometime after the events of Shivers, but it does not feature any of the same characters or carry on the storyline of the first.

Harvest of Souls takes place in the (now deserted) town of Cyclone, outside of Flagstaff. Though supposedly a tourist town and popular with hikers, its residents are very mistrusting of outsiders (and a few certainly try to take advantage of them). Natural rock formations help isolate Cyclone from the world on three sides. A looming Anasazi ruin and a deadly town secret adds to the further mystique of the town. Your character arrives in the dead of night to join up with his traveling band mates only to discover that they’ve disappeared too. Dark rituals, buried truths, a sinister stalker, and an ancient legend pave the road for the player’s journey.

The good: Puzzles, puzzles, and more puzzles. Just as challenging, just as fun, I was delighted to see the Shivers crew didn’t forget what made the first game so enjoyable.

The music is also just as sinister and fits each area well, but now it comes with more of a rock core to go along with the theme. It is still used well to create a creepy vibe.

The improved: The panoramic view is a massive improvement. Not just in terms of easy movement for the player, but it adds to the slightly surreal element that the watercolor backdrop already provides.

Music videos! Yes, your character can watch music videos starring your missing friends! But more than eye and ear candy, the music videos serve as a way to provide important clues to what happened to the town as well as important puzzle solutions.

Graphics! Okay, we are still seeing the awesome watercolor effect, but sharpened and richer. The town looks gorgeous and eerie. Exploration is a must.

A map has been added to the game making navigation slightly easier and “fast traveling” is now possible.

Multiple endings have also been added (both good and bad). Your actions affect the outcome near the end, so choose wisely!

The bad: We have more character interaction, which means more bad acting. Really bad acting. And some may find a few of the puzzles too tedious (particularly the Bahos/Petroglyph puzzles).

The storyline has also much improved, unfortunately there are still a few plot holes. But a solid improvement nonetheless.

Overall, it was a good sequel and a solid effort was made by Sierra to give the gamer what they wanted and build a good game. This is another one I recommend giving a go at.

Ahhh, such fond memories of this game. Quite possibly my first horror game, it certainly was among the most entertaining, challenging, and spine-tingling of my collection. A simple puzzle game styled similarly to the likes of Myst (also of the same era), it had a lasting impact on my psyche and to this day I could pick it up at any time and become enthralled. Yet I’m not surprised that few have heard of it. By today’s standards it certainly doesn’t look like much of anything. But like Amnesia, it is able to make do without a lot of flashy graphics, intense combat, DLC’s, and all those other lovely extras that consume games like Skyrim, Fallout, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty.

So let’s jump right to it, eh? What makes Shivers memorable? What makes it stand out in a sea of similar titles that overwhelmed the computer gaming market in 1990’s?

Well, first off, it didn’t rely heavily on character actors. What do I mean by this? Well, there was a major problem in the gaming world in the Nineties where a lot of games (particularly arcade games and with the infamous Jaquar and Sega CD *shudder*) would use real world actors (and I use that term very loosely) to help carry the story, which meant lots of inane dialogue (usually the most cliched type of “movie speak” available) and horrid acting to distract the player. Relatively speaking little “game playing” took place, and the result was a slightly interactive, low budget, B-film on disk. Shivers doesn’t do that. Sure, there are some “live action” sequences, but they are mercifully short, and instead the game relies on notes, diaries, letters, etc, to tell the story.

Second, the game’s soundtrack is fantastic. Each new “stage” (or room) that the player explores has it’s own theme. Sure, many are variations of the main theme, but each perfectly accents the area it’s in and helps to develop an overall unsettling mood and highten the stress level of the player, resulting in an increasing sense of paranoia that envelops the player, making puzzle solving a more intense affair. For suspense-and-shock type games such as this it’s important that all elements are used with the utmost care to create a fitting environment for chilling gameplay. It’s particularly important for a point-and-click style of gaming, as they often offer no frills. “Man’s Inhumanity Man” and “Myths and Legends” rooms are still the most memorable in terms of the fright it gave me thanks in large part to the soundtrack.

Third, and most importantly, the puzzles were good. Very good. They came in a variety and not only lead to opening secrets, but were utilized very well for storytelling and keeping with the theme of the space. And the puzzles were not just challenging, the outcome of solving a puzzle can lead to grim discoveries. And there were many puzzles.

In fact, the puzzles, music, and atmosphere was virtually all the game had. There were no real “monsters” that chased the player around to cause an adrenaline rush, as the Ixupi were stationary and pretty easy to avoid (though it was a main objective to collect them all, but more on that in a bit). Detail in design was crucial here, and the puzzles were the main attraction (music and great work with shadow and light provided a delightful flavor).

So what’s the plot of this game?

You play as an unnamed teen protagonist (the game is presented from a first person perspective) who apparently has a big mouth because it managed to get yourself locked in the towns resident abandoned and haunted museum by your friends on a dare. Did I mention that the museum was built and formerly owned by an eccentric (and slightly mad) “archeologist” who mysteriously disappeared? Oh, and a couple of kids went missing prior to your arrival as well. Lovely, huh? Oh, but that’s not all. Most of the doors on the grounds are locked (including the main entrance, *your first puzzle*) and you have to explore (preferably while keeping a pen and pad handy) the “deserted” hallways and rooms to find the answers and solve the mystery of Professor Windlenot’s Museum of the Strange and Unusual.

And don’t even think of taking a nap, enjoying a hot beverage, or even using the darn commode during your visit. Apparently the museum is inhabited by ghosts of some of it’s former occupants as well as the cursedIxupi, which are silly little essence-draining monsters that think you are just the tastiest dish. Each Ixupi takes the form of a particular element (water, crystal, wood, oil, etc) so a chair suddenly, literally becomes the embodiment of evil. In addition to surviving the night you are tasked with capturing each of these little terrors in special sacred pots scattered throughout the place. But what is particularly fun is that the Ixupi have not just hidden them, but their lids (“Talisman’s”) as well, so for the ten Ixupi there are at least twenty potential hiding spots. Yay.

Yes, the plot is quite weak, but what should have been a major shortcoming is instead easily overlooked. Expecially considering how beautiful the game is. Rather than using expensive graphics taken from real world locales, Shivers instead employs the use of watercolor scans to create a color rich (and slightly surreal) environment.

And while the game doesn’t have multiple endings (it’s own borders on cheesy) I found it’s final conclusion fitting (much more satisfying than The Last of Us *ahem*).

All and all it left a lasting impact and stood out much more to me than it’s more famous counterparts such as The 7th Guest and Phantasmagoria (also developed by Sierra). But hey, don’t take my word for it. I encourage trying it out for yourself. Just remember to plug in your headphones, turn off your lights, and keep a blanket handy (you know for the Shivers…*okay lame joke but I couldn’t resist*).

It’s a shame more people aren’t aware of the Forbidden Siren game series. It is among the best I’ve played in survival horror, and a real treat to those that enjoy classic J-Horror. Still, Forbidden Siren (also known as Project Siren, or simply Siren), was popular enough to develop a small following (often intertwining with the Silent Hill fan base), a sequel (sadly not available in the United States), a film, and a decent re-imagining (similar to its American sister, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories). For those that are unaware, allow me to introduce the series, explain why it’s memorable, and explore the pros and cons of the remake/”re-imagining”.

Forbidden Siren (PS2)

Released in the States in 2004, the first installment of the franchise was notable and unique in both presentation and game play. To create a truly disturbing feel, the “images of real human faces were captured from eight different angles and superimposed onto the character [facial] models, an effect similar to projecting film onto the blank face of a mannequin.” The story was played in non-chronological stages and featuring the viewpoints of many different characters, as typical in among Japanese horror films. Combat is virtually a non-factor, as the game greatly encourages stealth against near invincible foes to provide an overwhelming sense of helplessness for the player. Players are encouraged to hide, sneak, and limit their use of the flashlight. The game also makes use of “Sight-jacking” a system in which the player can view the environment through the eyes of allies or enemies in order to learn their migratory patterns and their locations as well as the locations of useful items (the player cannot however move during “Sight-jacking”). The “Butterfly Effect” is also used, as any small action a player might make can either hinder or help another character at a later stage.

The primary enemies of this game (and later sequels) are the Shibito. Though on first glance the term “zombie” may spring to mind, the player quickly learns that the Shibito are far, far worse. Though technically reanimated corpses, Shibito are actually much faster than zombies of popular media and posses a small level of intelligence and retain some memory and hints of their former personalities. Shibito are often spotted engaged in “normal” activities of their former life (such as gardening or worship) or patrolling areas of importance. They will attack a player character (and companion) on sight and though they can be subdued they will reanimated in a matter of seconds and immidiantly begin searching for the player. They will often try to choke the victim or use melee weapons or firearms (with disturbing accuracy). As the game progresses, the Shibito began to transform, and some will grow wings and are able to chase the player through flight.

Plot (from Wikipedia): “Siren is set in a Japanese village named Hanuda (Hanyuda in the Japanese version). With strong religious beliefs important in the area, the locals like to keep to themselves and have sought to keep Hanuda isolated from the outside world.[1] Following the interruption of a ritual near Hanuda, and a subsequent earthquake, the village teeters between time and space, with an infinite sea of red water replacing the mountainous territory. The crux of the story focuses on the efforts of Hisako Yao, the leader of the local religion, to resurrect or re-awaken a god through a ceremony. The ‘Siren’ of the title is the god’s call, summoning Hanuda’s residents to immerse themselves in the red water, thus creating an army of subordinates called shibito (屍人 shibito?, lit. “corpse people”). The shibito then go about building a nest to house the god’s corporeal form once it is summoned, as well as killing and converting any remaining humans left in Hanuda. The story is told through the perspectives of ten survivors, some of whom are natives of Hanuda, and is presented out of chronological order over the three days in which the plot takes place.”

Reception (via Wikipedia)

Siren received generally positive scores, with a score of 71.24% on GameRankings based on 65 reviews,[69] and 72% on Metacritic, based on 48 reviews.[70] Features of the game which were especially praised were the graphics, particularly the facial animation, and the complex and deep storyline. Much criticism, however, was aimed at the high difficulty, the unforgiving nature of the game, the relatively useless map feature which didn’t show the player’s position in the game field, the obscure nature of some of the puzzles and a general tendency for players to have to utilize trial-and-error methods to progress through the game.

GameSpot awarded the game a score of 6.7 out of 10, with a rating of “Fair.” Reviewer Bethany Massimilla concluded that although the game had a great story, and interesting characters, it was “ultimately marred by tedious trial-and-error-based design that makes it best suited to survival horror fans with a good store of patience […] While the need to know what happened in the village of Hanuda can sustain you, it’s a hard ride through all the tedious trial and error you have to engage in simply to pass a level and move on. Fans of the genre interested in something new may be game for Siren if they’re possessed with lots of patience–but they’re the only ones this game is truly suited for.”[71]

IGN scored the game 7.7 out of 10. Reviewer Jeremy Dunham praised the originality of the concept, the use of Sightjacking, the graphics and the storyline, but criticized the difficulty level and the trial and error nature of the gameplay; “At the end of the day, Siren is one of those rare kinds of games that overcomes gameplay shortcomings with its concept, style, and storyline. For those of us that allow ourselves to be immersed by it, it’s undeniable to say that the game isn’t among one of the scariest experiences on the market; and we’re not just talking about the how ugly the monster faces are either. We’re referring to its terrific combination of atmosphere, pacing, and storyline twists as well. And let us not forget that the Sight-Jacking system serves as a great way to breathe new life into a genre that has otherwise seen little innovation since its inception 12 years ago. Yet despite that fact, Siren definitely isn’t for everyone. As there will unquestionably be a great crowd of gamers that find the trial and error gameplay overly frustrating as they attempt to solve obscure puzzles and slip by the incredibly belligerent Shibito. The clunky menu system and sometimes awkward viewpoint controls will likely grow tiresome for less patient players too, and the armpit voice acting takes away from what could have been the spookiest audio in the history of the PlayStation 2. The good news is that the positive in Siren outweighs the negative, and for players willing to give the storyline and weaker gameplay elements a chance there’s one hell of a ride in store for them.”[73]

GameSpy scored the game 4 out of 5, with Bryan Stratton following other reviewers in praising the storyline and atmosphere, but criticizing the nature of the gameplay; “For all of the things thatSiren does well, there are a number of things that keep it from being a truly A-list survival-horror game. Siren‘s biggest problem is that it can get very frustrating very early on. If you’re not a fan of unforgiving stealth-based gameplay, you’re going to die often and repeat missions to the point where it becomes more tedious than scary. Some of the missions are extremely frustrating, such as the ones in which you have to lead a helpless character past several Shibito, or any mission with a Shibito sniper. […] Siren‘s controls and camera are also on the sloppy side, which seems to be a genre-wide curse. One of the worst aspects of the control scheme is the way your character is momentarily stunned whenever you accidentally run into a solid object. God help you if you’ve got a sniper’s crosshairs trained on you while you’re trying to run through an open doorway, because there’s a 50-50 chance you’ll clip the doorframe, stumble backwards, and get shot. These wouldn’t be such major issues if Siren had scalable difficulty options that allowed less skilled or less patient gamers to avoid getting stuck on one mission, but Siren is intended to be played in one way and one way only, and its inflexibility is going to turn many gamers off. Still, for each thing that Siren doesn’t do well, there are two innovative ideas that make it worthy of high praise. It is definitely not a game that will appeal to every survival-horror fan. Those who enjoy it will rank it among their favorite games of all time. Those who don’t should hope that some of Siren‘s good ideas are stolen by developers who can implement them in a less frustrating game.”[72]

Similarities to Silent Hill:

– Both games take place in a cursed town in a remote setting.

– Both games feature a disturbing ritual involving a young girl

– Both games employ the use of thick fog, grim atmospheric “music,” and a nightmarish/dream like landscape.

– Both involve a priestess that carries a dark secret

– Both make use of an eerie siren that “calls”

– Both feature creepy nurses and a twisted doctor under distress.

– Both make use of notes to reveal backstory

Forbidden Siren 2 (PS2)

Despite the popularity and acclaim of the first game, the 2006 sequel never quite made it to the states. I myself never had the chance to play this game, though thankfully many excellent walk-through are available on Youtube to watch. Gameplay has much improved in this sequel, making it easier for less seasoned gamers to navigate the game. Improvements have been made to “sight-jacking,” and player characters now have additional unique abilities to aid the player. Hints are now available for the first time. Difficulty levels are also adjustable and there are more weapons handy.

Along with all these improvements comes the addition of the Yamibito, a more formidable foe than the Shibito. Weakened only by light, they are smarter, stronger, and more resilient, making them a great addition to a game shrouded in darkness.

The sequel got good reviews but still managed to disappoint the critics, mainly due to a less intriguing story line.

Reception (via Wikipedia)

Forbidden Siren 2 received generally positive scores, with a score of 73.86% on GameRankings based on 14 reviews.[21]

Eurogamer awarded the game a score of 7 out of 10 with reviewer Kristan Reed feeling that the game improved on many of the problems of the sequel (especially the difficulty level and trial-and-error nature of the gameplay), but simultaneously fell somewhat short of the original; “Forbidden Siren 2 is not the stunning sequel we were hoping for. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly where it goes wrong, when so many of the flaws of the original have been eradicated. For a start, the game does a much better job of spelling out what you’re supposed to do throughout each scenario, and does so alongside a generally excellent in-game hint system that eradicates most of the petty frustrations of the past. Not only that, the game has the decency to checkpoint-save key events, meaning that you can play with a much greater degree of confidence in the knowledge that you haven’t got to repeat 30 minutes of painstaking, stealthy play just to explore an otherwise useless building to grab an artefact that opens up a new mission later on […] Where the game ultimately falls down is how routine most of the missions feel, how short most of them are, how disappointingly basic almost all of the puzzles are and how hard it remains to get a proper handle on the fractured storyline.”[22]

VideoGamer.com awarded the game a score of 6 out of 10 with reviewer Chris Pickering (a big fan of Siren) also feeling that the game removed many of the problems inherent to the original, but at the same time, also fell somewhat short in many respects; “Though the atmosphere helps make for a title that can certainly be enjoyed, its many flaws make me crave for the title that might have been. Had the solid base of the first game been built upon we could have been looking at an essential title for horror fans. What we’re left with, however, is one that fails to make the necessary leap forward into greatness. It remains a recommended game, but one that I can’t help but be ever so slightly downbeat about.”[23]

Forbidden Siren (film)

To coincide with the release of Forbidden Siren 2, a film adaption was released. Featuring an original story it still kept many core elements featured in the games, such as the “Shibito” and an enigmatic siren. Much like the first and second Silent Hill films, the films’ story is very loosely based on the sequel game. It’s a hard film to find in the U.S.A., however I have been able to view a bootlegged version via a friend and I found it a worthy addition to the franchise. It some small ways it reminds me of Carpenter’s classic, The Fog, a film I greatly enjoyed, however this film is straight up J-Horror. If you have the chance to view it I would strongly recommend it.

Forbidden Siren: Blood Curse (PS3)

Just as the first classic Silent Hill game got a re-imagining, so too did Forbidden Siren. And just like Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Forbidden Siren: Blood Curse has been thoroughly “Americanized”. However, while I normally loathe this type of change, I found myself extremely happy with the result. While Shattered Memories was a good stand-alone game, it only works by separating it from the rest of the franchise. It stands as a great game based on its own merits. However it never felt like a “Silent Hill” game. Blood Curse did though, even with Westernized characters ret-conned into the original story. The enhanced graphics actually improved the realism of the environment and the overall creep factor. The original eerie atmospheric score is still present, slightly tweaked (much like Jeff Danna’s interpretations of Akira Yamaoka for the film). The story is virtually the same as the first, though there are a few surprises for fans of the original and some classic characters are merged into a single new character. The story is completely linear now, and the game play is much easier than in the original. As stealth is a major component in horror-survival, I was so pleased to see it is still very much utilized in this game, as some players cannot use weapons, making for a more frightening game play experience. I was however disappointed to see that the creepy facial projections are gone. The voice acting though has been much improved. I also enjoyed that each Shibito is an individual character, instead of the same four models being used over and over, adding to the realism. There is also more gore, which depending on the player is either good or bad, and better use of lighting and shadows. However, “easter egg” story lines presented in the original are missing in favor of a straight-forward story, and there are a few plot holes in the remake.

The remake (again mirroring Shattered Memories) received great reviews.

Reception (via Wikipedia)

Siren: Blood Curse received generally favorable reviews. On aggregate websites, it averaged 77% on GameRankings based on 39 reviews, and 78% on Metacritic based on 42 reviews.[27][26]IGN gave the game a score of 8.4/10.[31][32]GameSpot‘s Carolyn Petit gave Blood Curse a 7 out of 10, praising the sight jacking mechanic, while noting repetition in locations and controls.[29]

Forbidden Siren is an understated game franchise. It is true horror and never strays from its core appeal. It provides the scares and a challenging game. It has its flaws, but I found it worth every second of my time. It has held up well over time and it’s a real shame that more titles haven’t been developed. I strongly recommend this title, particularly to fans of titles such as Lone Survivor and classic Silent Hill.

Yes, yes, I could add this to the previous post where I reminisced about the wonders of the first Sims series. However, after posting I became incredibly nostalgic and took my own advice my revisiting the game, as well as perusing several wonderful blogs and fan sites frequented by those that remember/love The Sims 1. Along the way I encountered several great sites that provide Sims 1 content/mods for it’s sequels as well as for the original itself, and decided to share what has been shared to me in brand new post (mostly because I can). Thanks to all the wonderful fans that brought these sites to my attention (they all come highly recommended).

And for the record, I own most of The Sims 2 expansions/stuff packs, and several of The Sims 3 expansions/stuff packs. I enjoy them immensely. They are good solid games. However, there were many things from the first series that I greatly missed, and am more than happy to “update” my current games with treasured nostalgia. The following sites are for content/mods to add and forums to discuss with other Sims 1 fans. Sim freaks, enjoy!